Image of Micro finance. Photo by Abhishek Reddy.m7-

Top 10 Sensational Facts about David Bussau


 

David Thomas Bussau is a pioneer of microfinance. He co-founded the Opportunity International Network and founded Opportunity International Australia.

He grew up in foster care as a child and young person. Bussau has been hailed for his innovative approach to solving world poverty by challenging the conventional wealth distribution model of development.

Bussau is now retired from Opportunity International, and he continues his work by providing consultancy services to multinationals, governments, and other organizations.

Learn more about David Bussau in these top 10 sensational facts.

1. David Bussau Grew Up in an Orphanage

Bussau was born on November 10, 1940; his father Lewis abandoned his family of four children and David had no idea of his father. David and his younger brother were taken to Sedgley Boy鈥檚, an Anglican orphanage in New Zealand. 

The boys at Sedgley went without the amenities and experience that constituted 鈥渆nough鈥 for others, so he was aware of what it meant to be marginalized and to experience poverty.

He left school at the age of 15, and Bussau started his business career. He bought a hotdog stand at the local football ground.

Over the next 20 years, Bussau bought, built and sold multiple businesses. By age 35, he owned construction companies and was a self-made multi-millionaire.

2. He Was Involved In Charity Works

In 1974, he answered a call for help; Bussau moved his family, which includes his wife and two daughters, to Darwin. He headed up a national movement to assist the victims of Cyclone Tracy.

Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that destroyed the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from December 24 to 26, 1974.

Soon after, Bussau began aid work in Indonesia and eventually endowed a private foundation committed to responsible wealth creation and entrepreneurship, believing this is the best way to alleviate global poverty.

He is best recognized for his work beside Bishop Wayan Mastra of the Protestant Christian Church in Bali in building a contextual worship center in Blimbingsari.

3. Bussau is Widely Recognised

Bussau has been remembered for his work in the international development sector.

He was chosen by The Bulletin magazine 鈥 as one of Australia鈥檚 10 most creative minds,鈥 awarded the Order of Australia for services to international development, and named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2003. In 2008 he was awarded Senior Australian of the Year.

4. Bussau Was a Pioneer of Microfinance

During his time in Bali, he became a microfinance pioneer, even before the term existed. He started by offering a small loan of $50 to a harrowing Indonesian farmer named Ketut Suwiria.

Ketut used the loan to purchase a sewing machine and started a tailoring business with the hiding’s wife. Ketut grew a sustainable business and was able to repay the loan.

Bussau saw the difference the loan made in Ketut鈥檚 life and he provided loans to 20 other people. These flourishing small businesses provided for the basic needs of low-income families and gave mothers and fathers respect, confidence and dignity.

After the loan was repaid and recycled, Bussau was inspired and sold his business. He started Maranatha Trust to give small loans to people living in poverty so they could become entrepreneurs in their local areas.

5. Bussau Founded Opportunity International Australia

Calma Arcala used a small loan to start a mushroom growing businesds and today emplys 5 people. Philippines 2007. Photo: Opportunity International / AusAID. Photo by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade-

Bussau founded Opportunity International Australia, and it is part of the global Opportunity International Network. It was registered as a charity under the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission in January 1989.

It provides support services to its loan recipients, such as community development initiatives, business training and financial literacy training. The services include savings, fund transfers, loans and insurance.

Opportunity International Australia is currently focused on three main countries in Indonesia, India and the Philippines by funding and supporting local microfinance institutions.

It has a repayment rate of 97% and is a signatory to the Australian Council For International Development (ACFID).

6. Bussau Co-Founded Opportunity International Network

AI Whittaker left his job and founded the Institute for International Development Incorporated (IIDI) in 1971. It was a micro-enterprise organization.

Barry Harper, IIDI’s first Executive Director and development officer Dan Swanson together oversaw the establishment of IDII offices in Kenya, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Indonesia, Peru and Honduras.

Bussau founded Maranatha Trust and began administering loans in Indonesia in 1977. In 1979 he joined IDII as the director of the Indonesia office and began expanding IDII work in Asia.

AI Whittaker and David Bussau merged their effort under Opportunity International in 1988. After that time, the organization continued to grow.

7. Bussau First Loan Client still Owns his First Sewing Machine

Sewing Machine. Photo by David Krotz-

Ketut Suwiria was the first loan client of Bussau. He still owns the old Chinese-made sewing machine he bought with his first loan. 

Ketut has owned several businesses, including a hostel and motorcycle rental business and now owns a furniture business. His 20 employees import truckloads of raw furniture from java that they sand, stain, polish and export worldwide.

Over the years, Bussau has given away numerous other sewing machines to his employees to help them start their businesses.

8. After his Retirement, He Continued to Offer Consultancy

After his retirement, he endowed a foundation to pioneer the concept of providing marketplace solutions for social problems. He founded the Wholistic Transformation Resource Center to continue doing this.

His foundation has birthed 15 international movements addressing a broad spectrum of social issues in developing countries: water, microfinance, health, persecution, education and leadership.

He continues to provide innovative concepts of effective CRS and has a team of dedicated colleagues based in Asia who implement and monitor programs.

Bussau challenges the old development paradigms and generates fresh, exciting, audacious, and bold out-of-the-box entrepreneurial ideas to liberate the poor. He aims to ignite the creative spark to release the fantastic potential in each one.

9. Bussau Has been Awarded Several Awards

David Bussau has been a great mind in shaping the microfinance industry. These awards include Australia鈥檚 10 Most Creative Minds in 2000, Ernst & Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2003 and 2005 Australian of the Year Finalist.

In 2005, he received the Special Humanitarian Award (Singapore), Beta Gamma Sigma Medallion for Entrepreneurship (USA) IN 2007, and in 2008 the Senior Australian of the Year Award, among many others.

10. Bussau Was Married to Carol

David Bussau married Carol, and they had two daughters, Natasha and Rachel. During his aid work in Indonesia, he moved his family to Darwin.

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